Five New Trustees Join Upper Canada District School Board Table Following 2018 Municipal Election

Posted on 10/24/2018

The 2018 municipal election has resulted in a shuffle around the trustee table for the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB). In the new term starting December 1, the UCDSB will welcome four newly elected trustees, two incumbents and four acclaimed.

“Congratulations to the trustees elect and to everyone who was a candidate for the office of UCDSB trustee. Their interest in public education and supporting local schools is greatly appreciated,” says Director of Education Stephen Sliwa. “I’m looking forward to welcoming and working with this new group of trustees for the next four years. I think the mix of new and returning will encourage a lot of discussion and bring a new perspective. We’re always working toward enhancing the learning opportunities of our students and I think we are well positioned to do that with this Board.”

Ward 1 Trustee Donald Cram retained his seat and will again represent Mississippi Mills, Beckwith Township and Carleton Place for a second term.

John McCrea is another newcomer to the Board and will represent Ward 5, which takes in the areas of Augusta and Brockville. He claimed the seat left vacant by the Chair of the

Board, Jeff McMillan, who is retiring from public office after serving on the Board since 2010.

In Ward 6 Lisa Swan was re-elected by voters for a second term. Ward 6 includes the communities of Edwardsburg-Cardinal, North Grenville and Prescott.

Larry Barry will be the new trustee for Ward 7, which covers the townships of South Dundas and North Dundas. The seat has been held by Jeremy Armer for the last four years.

John Danaher is the new representative for Ward 9, which covers the townships and communities of North Glengarry, South Glengarry, North Stormont and South Stormont. Trustee Wendy MacPherson was the face for this rural area for the last four years but did not seek re-election for a second term.

Corina Parisien has been acclaimed in Ward 10, assuming the seat left vacant by 1st Vice-Chair Caroll Carkner. Ward 10 includes the townships and communities of Alfred-Plantagenet, Casselman, Champlain, Clarence-Rockland, East Hawkesbury, Hawkesbury, Russell and The Nation Municipality.

The new Board of Trustees will be sworn in on December 5. In the interim, the current Board of Trustees will continue in office. The last official board meeting for the existing Board of Trustees is on November 28, with the new term taking effect on December 1.

The trustees of the UCDSB serve more than 27,000 students in 79 schools. Trustees are empowered under the Education Act to set policy for the operation of all public schools in the counties of Lanark, Leeds, Grenville, Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott and Russell, providing an essential link between the school system and the community.